Cuba Plunges into Darkness: US Pressure, Oil Shortages Trigger Widespread Blackouts

• Cubans face prolonged blackouts and severe shortages due to escalating US pressure and disrupted oil shipments, particularly from Venezuela.
• Residents of Santa Cruz del Norte, a petroleum-producing town, are forced to cook with coal and firewood, with many struggling to afford basic necessities.
• The crisis has led to extreme measures, such as Kenia Montoya ripping off her bathroom door for firewood to feed her children.
• US President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba have exacerbated the island's economic woes, leading to soaring prices and scarcity.
• Despite the hardships, some Cubans, like Olga Lilia Laurenti, find ways to celebrate and maintain joy amidst the deepening crisis, while the government remains silent on oil reserves.